Arriflex 120s Blimp

There are two well known Arri blimps:
The 120 which accommodates the 400' magazine
The 300 which accommodates the 1000' Mitchell magazine conversion.

There is also the Cine60 fiberglass blimp made for the Arri 35 II cameras. However, it is not as feature rich as the Arriflex blimps.

Download the pdf of the 120s manual:
PART A (user manual)
PART B (electric schematic)

Pictured here is a 120 blimp with telephoto lens extension mounted on top a Mitchell Friction Head.

 

Pictured above in the 120s blimp is an Arri IIC with a BNCR mount hard-front conversion. An Angenieux 25mm-250mm definitely requires the long lens extensions for the blimp.

 

 

Pictured above is the arri flat-base and AC sync motor mounted in Blimp housing. The base measure only about 1.5 inches high. Other bases, like after market crystal bases may be used but must have the same or lower profile (if lower the base would require shimming) for the follow focus, iris controls, and viewing ports to work properly.

 

The motor and base. Note the markings on the motor. These indicate different "starting" capacitor sizes for different voltage supplies.

 

The base without the motor. A 220VAC/110VAC motor or a 24VDC motor can be used with this base. The motor connection and the blimp's electronic accommodate both, as each type of motor uses different pins of the motor cable connector.

 

The gears of the flat base are exposed with the protective cover (bottom left) is removed.

 

The AC motor with it's six pointed "star" mounted on the motor shaft. This is the same sort of gear found on the drive shaft of the Arr 35IIC's drive shaft but not the IIB's. The IIB must be modified with one of the gears to work with this type of flat base-motor system.

 

The camera, ready to be placed into the blimp.

 

The camera in the blimp, ready to receive a magazine.

 

The rear of the blimp.

 

Here is the arriIIB in the blimp. Both the front glass is open and the follow focus assembly ring door is open. Note that a special door for the camera is needed for external viewer coupling.

 

Here the follow focus ring has been engaged to the lenses focus "ears" the front glass has been closed and 400' magazine has been put on.

 

Here the two part long lens extension has been put on. It replaces the front glass door.

 

Here the lens extension is opened in the center.  It opens into two parts to allow hookup of external controls to long lenses.

 

The blimp with lens extension and compendium (bellows)

 The following photos are to show the scale of the blimp:

 

 

 

 

Questions or comments? Please contact Nathan Snyder